SHILLONG, Nov 19 NNN: The Meghalaya Rights to Information Movement (MRTIM) Monday unanimously decided to stage a march to the assembly during the upcoming winter session of the state slated from December 11 – 14 demanding the introduction of a strong and effective Lokayukta Bill to check uncontrolled corruption.
The RTI activists will also demand the state government to squash the old Act which according to them is “toothless”.
Meghalaya enacted a Meghalaya Lokayukta & Up-lokayukta Act in 2002 and made rules for it in 2007.
Speaking to reporters here, MRITM convener Angela Rngad said, “We have decided to further pressurize our government to squash the old toothless act and pass a new bill, the draft of which was prepared by leading anti-graft activists and NGO leaders in line with those of Karnataka and others.”
“We have already submitted the drafted Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill 2012 to the government,” she informed.
Several NGOs of the state including Khasi Students Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKGJP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) besides the Women NGOs like Civil Society Women Organization (CSWO) and Ka Lympung ki Sengkynthei (LSK) have unanimously decided to create mass awareness in the respective localities ahead of the December 11 march.
“Citizens have to be made aware of the need to have a strong Lokayukta in the state,” she asserted.
Rngad added, “There were a lot of loopholes in the pre-RTI Lokayukta Act of the government.”
Comparing with that of Karnataka, Rangad said Meghalaya’s Lokayukta does not have suo-moto powers to initiate investigation and lack powers to execute the Chief Minister.
The NGOs demanded that the new Lokayukta should investigate either through suo moto or on a complaint substantiated by RTI.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/right-to-info-movement/
